Vito's great strength was focus: He focused on alliances with politicians who could protect him, and on two rackets--gambling and unions--that were highly profitable and were easy for his politicians to go along with. Gambling was a "harmless vice," and unions provided (at Vito's direction) money and other support for politicians' election campaigns. That focus worked so well that Vito apparently monopolized all the influential politicians and judges in NYC, according to Barzini at the Commission meeting.